TRTL user comments

Is anyone using these TTL strobe triggers?  How do you like them?

daveco2 - many WP members are using the Turtle TTL trigger system. If you do a Search (if you've not done already), you should find lots of comments and thoughts.

Thanks, Tim

Yes, I did several searches with different key words, but didn't get anything relevant.  Will keep trying.

Dave

Hi Dave

Here's one of many links:

View archived post in: Experience with TRT S-Turtle TTL trigger?

Thanks, Tim

I read that one.  Lots of detail on fiber optics and interfaces.  What I'd really like to read about is reliability of the recent model TRTL trigger and accuracy of its TTL function.

There also isn't anything from a wider Google search, except for some negative comments about the build quality of a prior TRTL model.

In any case, I've about made up my mind to build my own manual trigger based on a design from WetPixel.  I figured out on my trip the last several weeks to the Philippines (Dumaguete and Moalboal) that once quickly dialed in, the exposure doesn't change much target-to-target, and anyway, it's easily adjusted in post processing.

David

TTL accuracy tends to have more to do with the camera body you are using, the TTL trigger is only copying the signals the camera puts out.  There are some timing issues with TTL that you need to get right and various ways of providing compensation - in camera and the flash itself but they are also out of the control of the trigger. 

Going manual is a good choice, as you found out it's not that hard once dialled in,  If you keep the same sort of distance to subject exposure won't change a lot and you'll soon work out situations where a change in flash power is warranted.

Hi David

Just adding to what Chris has written, I'm not using a Turtle TTL trigger (I've got the UWT one) but have always been a big TTL fan going back 10 or more years (using the Heinrich Weikamp TTL system on a D300) - until recently. 

Over the years I've found TTL very good for macro but less so for wide-angle. I switched from Inon strobes to Retra a couple of years ago and this lead me, for no particular reason, to switch to Manual strobes. And certainly for wide-angle I wouldn't go back. As Chris sets out, it's not difficult, you know what you're going to get (pretty much!) and tweaking the exposure, certainly with Retras, is a gentle click on an easy to locate dial. And, as you point out, simple adjustments can be done easily in post-processing.

Good luck building a trigger. I admire anyone who can do that! Do let us know how you get on.

I started using the o-Turtle several years ago, because I had repetitive issues with the Olympus miniflashes on one of my e-M1 bodies.  You have to do some setup, which was a bit fiddly, but I have been fully pleased with the device, and far more than pleased with the service of TRT and its owner, Balazs Kurucz.  He has always been prompt and helpful when I had questions.  But last year, I sent my housing in for service, and when I tried to separate the device from the wiring harness, the base of the harness connector separated from the unit.  Well out of warranty, and mostly likely misfeasance on my part, but Balazs suggested a couple of fixes and when they didn't work, I sent him the device and he repaired it and returned it with a new harness.  I haven't been able to convince him to charge me for this above-and-beyond customer service--suffice it to say I was grateful and very impressed.

13 hours ago, rickmorgan said:

I started using the o-Turtle several years ago, because I had repetitive issues with the Olympus miniflashes on one of my e-M1 bodies.  You have to do some setup, which was a bit fiddly, but I have been fully pleased with the device, and far more than pleased with the service of TRT and its owner, Balazs Kurucz.  He has always been prompt and helpful when I had questions.  But last year, I sent my housing in for service, and when I tried to separate the device from the wiring harness, the base of the harness connector separated from the unit.  Well out of warranty, and mostly likely misfeasance on my part, but Balazs suggested a couple of fixes and when they didn't work, I sent him the device and he repaired it and returned it with a new harness.  I haven't been able to convince him to charge me for this above-and-beyond customer service--suffice it to say I was grateful and very impressed.

Thanks, Rick

For the useful positive report.  Parts for my DIY project arrive tomorrow from Mouser.  Depending on how that project turns out, I may revisit the TRT purchase.  Either way, I'll report back here.

Well, I tried a couple of circuits.

The first circuit published here by uwdiy using an IRF 540,

View archived post in: Diy Led underwater flash strobe

and the second suggested by Packhorse using AMC7135 current regulators.  (I went up to

4 regulators in parallel-1.4A total).  Both circuits flashed the LEDs, but the LEDs were not bright enough to trigger my Z330 even when brought up against the receiver.